By Kris Voakes

The AC Milan striker says that people in Italy are more accepting of his confrontational nature than the English were during his spell with Manchester City

Mario Balotelli believes that people need to stop making a big deal out of his tendency to get involved in altercations on the training ground.

The AC Milan striker has had some much-publicised issues with coaches and team-mates in the past, most notably with former Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini, but he claims that these are simply a natural part of any working environment.

And the 23-year-old suggests that the lack of such headlines in recent times reflects a difference in attitudes between different countries.

"Unfortunately, some people always want to make a big deal out of this sort of thing," the Italy international told FourFourTwo. "People have little bust-ups at work all the time, why should football be any different? The important thing is that everyone gets on afterwards, and at City we always did.

"These things happen in Italy as well, but no one gets up tight about it. Why should they? I'm not saying that the Italian press are any better than in England, they can both be as bad as each other."

Balotelli had previously worked with Mancini at Inter before he signed for Manchester City in 2010 and says he would work with his compatriot once more despite not having heard from the Galatasaray coach in over a year.

"I've not spoken to him since I left the club," Balotelli added. "But you know, he's busy in Turkey, isn't he? [laughs] I like him, he was a really important figure in my development as a player. I like him as a person and a coach.

"Yes, we had a few misunderstandings, but there's nothing wrong [between us] and as I say, these things happen. You can't like each other all the time, can you? Life's not like that.

"I don't think he's the sort of person who sees such things as being a big problem either. Would I work with him again? Yes, I would."

Balotelli left City for Milan in January 2013, while Mancini was sacked the following May before returning to coaching with Galatasaray last September.